Nut pickup machine



May 23, 1950 A. D. GOODWIN 2,508,454

NUT PICKUP MACHINE Filed Dec. 21, 1948. 2 Sheexs-Sheet 1 INVENTOR Goodwin BY MZ/wwi/ ATTO RN EYS May 23, 1950 A. D. sooowm NUT PICKUP MACHINE 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Dec. 21, 1948 INVENTOR A D. Goodw in M Wi/ ATTORNEYS Patented May 23, 1950 UNITED STATES PATENT oF IcE 2,508,454 NUT PICKUP mom 2 Alfred D. Goodwin, Manteca, Calif.

Application December 21, 1948, Serial No. 86,487

1 Claim.

This invention is directed to, and it is an object to provide, a novel machine for picking up or gathering nuts from the ground.

Another object of the invention is to provide a nut pick-up machine which includes a rotary sweep, of novel design, operative upon advance of the machine to deliver nuts from the ground onto a receiving conveyor.

A further object of the invention is to provide a nut pick up machine, as above, wherein such rotary sweep acts to flip or flick the nuts off the ground and onto said receiving conveyor.

An additional object of the invention is to provide a nut pick up machine, as in the preceding paragraphs, wherein the rotary sweep is self-conforming to ground contours so as to assure of maximum emciency of the machine and a high percentage of nut recovery.

It is also an object of the invention to provide a nut pick-up machine which is designed for ease and economy of manufacture.

A further object of the invention is to provide a practical and reliable nut pick-up machine, and one which will be exceedingly effective for the urpose for which it is designed.

These objects are accomplished by means of such structure and relative arrangement of parts as will fully appear by a perusal of the following specification and claim.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of the machine embodying the novel rotary sweep.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged front elevation of said rotary sweep as in operation.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged cross section of the rotary sweep as in operation.

Referring now more particularly to the characters of reference on the drawings, the invention is here embodied in a machine which comprisesin general assembly-a main frame I supported for movement along the ground by.

means including transversely spaced, pneumatic tire wheels 2. The main frame I may be part of a self-propelled vehicle or a trailer frame.

The machine is intended to travel in the direction indicated by the arrow A in Fig. 1, and rearwardly of the wheels 2 such machine includes a rotary sweep, indicated generally at 3; such sweep being journaled in a swing frame 4 which extends at a downward and rearward incline from a pivotal axis 5 on the main frame, whereby said rotary sweep 3 is drawn along the ground.

In order to vertically adjust the swing frame I, to control the engagement of the rotary sweep 3 with the ground, a bellcrank lever assembly 6 is mounted on the main frame I; there being a spring or other link I connected between said bellcrank lever assembly and the swing frame 4, and said assembly including an upstanding hand lever B releasably and adjustably latched to a notched quadrant 9.

The rotary sweep 3 is driven in a direction so that the lower portion of such sweep travels in the same direction as the direction of travel of the machine.

Intermediate the rotary sweep 3 and the wheels 2, the machine includes an upwardly and forwardly inclined nut receiving conveyor Ill having cross cleats H; such nut receiving conveyor being driven with the upper run thereof traveling upwardly. At its lower end the nut receiving conveyor I0 is disposed close to, but spaced from the ground. 4

The conveyor I0 delivers onto a cross conveyor I2, and in turn the latter feeds to an upwardly and rearwardly inclined elevator conveyor I3, which may lead to a sacking device or to a bintype trailer.

An engine I4 is mounted on the main frame I and drives the rotary sweep, and the conveyors Ill, I2, and I3, through the medium of suitable drives, which may be of any generally conventional type. as shown.

With advance of the machine along the ground, the rotary sweep 3 acts to engage and deliver nuts I5 from the ground onto the nut receiving conveyor III; the latter feeding the nuts onto the cross conveyor I2, which in turn feeds the elevator'conveyor I3.

The rotary sweep 3 is of novel construction and operation, which will now be described in detail.

Such rotary sweep 3 comprises a central cross shaft I6 journaled between the sides of the swing frame 4, and circular end plates I! are fixed on said cross shaft I6 adjacent opposite ends thereof.

A plurality of mounting shafts I8 are secured between the end plates H in a circumferential row in which said mounting shafts are evenly spaced.

On each mounting shaft I8 there is a transverse row of finger units, each of said units being indicated at I9. As such finger units are alike, 9. description of one will suffice for all.

Each finger unit I9 comprises a mounting plate 20 hinged on, or hung from, the corresponding mounting shaft I8 and normally projecting outwardly therefrom.

A plurality of transversely spaced, spring steel fingers 2| walked to each mounting plate 20 outwardly of the corresponding mounting shaft l8, and at their outer ends such fingers 2| have tips 22 inclined in the direction of rotation.

Centrally of' its ends and adjacent th inner edge each mounting plate 20 includes an attachment ear 24, and a heavy-duty tension spring 24 connects between each car 22 and the mounting shaft ll immediately ahead thereof. Each spring 24 is normally substantially unloaded, whereby to maintain the fingers 2| of the corresponding finger unit I! in generally radiating relation to the cross shaft It; as, for example, in the position of the uppermost fingers, as in F18. 3.

The swing frame 4 is adjusted so that the distance between the low point of the end plates i1 and the ground is substantially lesser than the distance which the spring steel fingers 2| normally project beyond the periphery of said end plates. Thus, when the rotarysweep 3 rotates-in the same direction as the direction of travel ,of the machine, the transverse rows of outwardly projecting fingers 2| successivelyengage and drag theground. When this occurs the mounting plates 20 are swung about the corresponding mounting shafts It in a directionto load the tension springs 24; See the ground engaging fingers: shown in full lines in Fig. 3. i

As these ground engaging fingers 2| drag along the ground they advance the nuts l5 ahead thereof, and when the leading row of such fingers begins to rise such row escapes the ground with a snap action by reason of the loaded springs 24. This snap action fiicks the nuts it off the ground and throws them forwardly and upwardly onto the 'nut receiving conveyor I0. This snap action of the leading transverse row of ground engaging fingers is illustrated in Fig. 3, wherein said leading row, while still in ground engagement, is shown in full lines, while its position after snap action is shown in dotted lines, which dottedline position is of course the normal position of the fingers.

By reason of the mounting of the fingers 2| on: 45

in ground engagement readily follow ground conthe separately hinged units l9, such fingers when tour, because said units Hi can load the corresponding springs to different extents. This con- ,forming of the fingers to ground contour is well illustrated in the lower portion of Fig. 2.

The particular functioning of the rotary sweep 3 to flick the nuts I5 off another receiving con veyor It by snap action of said fingers after ground drag loading thereof is an extremely advantageous feature, and efiects the recovery of nuts from the ground in a more expeditious manner than has heretofore been accomplished.

Corresponding teeth 2|, in adjacent transverse rows thereof, are staggered relative to each other, whereby to improve the action of the rotary sweep and to assure of any nuts being skipped.

The nut pick-up machine is a practical and reliable implement for the intended pu pose, and while its structure is relatively simple, requiring a minimum of servicing or maintenance, it produces excellent results.

From the foregoing description it will be readily seen that there has been produced such a device as substantially fulfills the objects of the invention, as set forth herein.

While this specification sets forth in detail the present and preferred construction of the device, still in practice such deviations from such detail may be resorted to as do not form a departure from the spirit of the invention, as defined by the appended claim,

Having thus described the invention, the following is claimed as new and useful and upon which Letters Patent are desired:

A pick up reel comprising a central supporting shaft, a plurality of mounting shafts grouped concentrically around the central shaft, a plurality of plates hinged on each mounting shaft in end to end relation, a group of pick up fingers on each plate normally extending radially outward with respect to the shaft, extension ears on the plates, tension springs connected at one end to the extension ears and at the other ends to the next succeeding mounting shaft, such springs being effective to yieldably maintainthe fingers in their normally extending position.

ALFRED D., GOODWIN.

REFERENCES crran The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Date 

